As is often the case with songwriting, one's upbringing influences one's lyrics. Raised in a single-parent home marked by poverty and addiction, Sean Haywood, who goes by the stage name Atlus, had to grow up fast, building resilience and a lifelong commitment to authenticity in his music. Phonetically named after the mythological Titan who held up the heavens, he began writing while working long hours as a commercial truck driver, crafting lyrics and melodies behind the wheel to help support his family and fund studio time.
Atlus explained, "My first two albums, I wrote everything from behind the wheel of a semi. I would drive five hours one way and then drive five hours back. And it was basically a 10-hour drive a day, and I would crank up some instrumentals, just freestyle melodies, and just write songs from there."
The song that put Atlus on the map in 2021 was called "You're a F****** B**** Hope You Know That S***." He shared, "That song is about being betrayed by someone you trust and love and being cheated on. It doesn't feel great."
Initially, Atlus mostly released covers, but wasn't a streamed artist. He stated, "When I put that song out, I remember being scared of it because the title was so jarring, and YouTube doesn't like those kinds of words. I thought, 'Nothing's going to happen with this song.' I looked back a week later, and it had like 200,000 views."
A lot of people could relate to the lyrics because his songs have had well over a billion streams. At that point, the record companies start paying attention, regardless of the genre. Other songs like "If I Died Tonight," "OH NO!" and "B**** Got Me Down Bad" have also had multiple million streams, proving that Atlus was more than a one-hit wonder.
That pavement-pounding grind became both his classroom and his engine, fueling the rise of a loyal underground following. Breakthrough moments soon followed, including performing alongside Jelly Roll at a packed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in his home state and landing a Top 5 album on Spotify's Global Album Chart.
Atlus signed BBR Music in August of 2025 and has since released a new EP, Secondhand Smoke. Anchored by self-penned viral hits, a platinum single, four independent studio albums, national touring, and a fan base that has grown into the millions across social platforms. With Secondhand Smoke, Atlus continues to turn personal stories into universal anthems. And as he has evolved as an artist, his music has become less angry.
Atlus stated, "The songs on Secondhand Smoke are more than just individual tracks; they are chapters from my life. Each one tells a story that I've lived through, and I hope that they push somebody out there to keep fighting and dreaming. Hopefully, there is something in one of those chapters that helps them keep showing up."
The first single that was released from his latest EP was a song called "Devil Ain't Done," which reflects themes of self-doubt and perseverance. He explained, "Where I grew up, [the devil] drove a nice car, had fast cash in his pockets, pills in the glove box, and he lived in the trailer next door. I spent most of my life avoiding that devil. Life is much better now, but the devil can find his way into any room. I remind myself to keep being a good person and not give in to the temptation."
"Secondhand Smoke" was written about his mother. His dad was in the military, and before they got divorced, his mother was a stay-at-home mom. But once she became a single working mom, she got addicted to cigarettes in order to keep going.
Atlus said, "I'm not saying that secondhand smoke is a good thing. I'm saying that it wasn't the worst thing in the world. I saw what it did for my mom. My mom worked two full-time jobs, raising three kids by herself while also making a mortgage payment. I mean, her smoking was the reason that she was able to get through it. When you've got children that grow up in such poverty and chaos, secondhand smoke is the very least of their worries."
Now his mother lives in Nashville, and Atlus can provide for her. "She doesn't have to worry anymore, which was the biggest goal of mine being a musician," he reflected.
The song "IOD on YOU" is a metaphor of addiction that talks about overdosing on somebody's love. Oddly enough, it's a sweet, affectionate song. "Addictions are always seen as a bad thing, but they can be a good thing if you find the right person," he said.
The "Art of Letting Go" is a song about Altus’s sister, who died from addiction. It took him a couple of years to be strong enough to write the song, because it was too hard for him to handle the thought of putting pen to paper. The song has really connected with those who have also lost someone due to addiction.
You can feel his agony in chorus where he croons If I'm not numb, then I'm a disaster/ Yeah, all I've ever known/ Is how to run so I never mastered/ The art of letting go/ Of you.
"Baby Momma" is a tribute to Atlus' mother. The song begins by talking about someone who has a child who is too young, with the words, "You're just a baby, momma." By the end of the song, he says, "I'll always be your baby, momma," because he is the youngest child.
The final song on the EP is "Break Me First." Atlus admits that he is now in a stable relationship, but still has that nagging feeling that somehow, he doesn't deserve love.
"You have this great relationship, and you're afraid something is going to happen, so you put up a wall. I never try to get my hopes up because if I'm really excited about something and then it falls through, it just breaks me because I feel things very strongly," the singer explained.
Just like the rest of his music, the songs on Secondhand Smoke are deeply personal and revealing, drawing people to them.
Atlus concurred, "Music has always been personal to me. Everything I write either helps me work through something or tells a real story from my life. When I write, I think I heal myself, and through that, it helps other people who are damaged to heal."
The way that Atlus effectively shares his pain and truth reminds me so much of Jelly Roll's songs. However, in my humble opinion, Atlus' voice is stronger and clearer. It's just extraordinary, combined with his clever, purposeful lyrics. I can see why Atlus has become so popular across multiple genres and age groups worldwide.
You can follow Atlus on his website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and all streaming platforms.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her on her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Secondhand Smoke EP – Track Listing
- “Secondhand Smoke” (Sean Haywood, Matt Wallace, Autumn Buysse) – Produced by Andrew Baylis, Matt Wallace
- “Devil Ain’t Done” (Sean Haywood, David Garcia, Geoff Warburton) – Produced by David Garcia, Andrew Baylis
- “IOD on YOU” (Sean Haywood, David Ray Stevens, Matt Wallace, Autumn Buysse) – Produced by Andrew Baylis, Matt Wallace
- “Art of Letting Go” (Sean Haywood, Lydia Vaughan, Lou Ridley, Matt Wallace) – Produced by Andrew Baylis and Matt Wallace
- “Baby Momma” (Sean Haywood, Autumn Buysse, Matt Wallace, Brit Wilder) – Produced by Andrew Baylis
- “Break Me First” (Sean Haywood, Matt Wallace, Claire Ernst, Stu Stapleton, Justin Abraham) – Produced by Andrew Baylis, Stu Stapleton, Justin Abraham